QATAR AIRWAYS LAUNCHES SECOND DESTINATION IN SULTANATE OF OMAN

Latest Route Takes Capacity Across Sultanate To 35 Flights A Week

26 May 2013

Salalah, SULTANATE OF OMAN – Qatar Airways has commenced services to Salalah, joining Muscat as the airline’s second destination in the Sultanate of Oman.

Qatar Airways Senior Vice President GCC, Levant, Iran, Iraq & Indian Sub-Continent, Fathi Al Shehab addresses guests and local and international media at Salalah Airport, ahead of the inaugural departure of flight QR177 from Salalah to Doha.

Traditional Omani folk dancers treated guests to a special performance as Qatar Airways officials and guests watch on ahead of the departure of the airline's first flight from Salalah to Doha.

Salalah, south of the Arabian Peninsula, becomes the Doha-based airline’s fifth new route of the year taking the carrier’s global reach to 127 destinations.

With the Omani capital Muscat already served 31-times-a-week and the new four-a-week services to Salalah, Qatar Airways now flies a total of 35 services to the Sultanate each week.

The latest destination also heralds the first of three new Middle East routes to be launched by the carrier over the next few weeks with two Iraqi cities joining the network.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the launch of Salalah flights demonstrated the strengthening relationship between the State of Qatar and the Sultanate.

“We are extremely delighted to have added the highly popular leisure destination of Salalah to our international network and extend our award-winning service to the people of Salalah and the Dhofar region,” he said.

“As one of the most beautiful places in the Gulf, affectionately known as the Perfume Capital of Arabia, Salalah has tremendous appeal for visitors across the Gulf, Europe, the United States and many other countries, steeped in history, culture and natural beauty.

“Already welcoming thousands of tourists every year, we look forward to playing our part to help further boost leisure and business tourism here and also provide travellers from Salalah with easy connections to more than 120 destinations worldwide via our Doha hub.”

Qatar Airways Senior Vice President of GCC, Levant, Iran, Iraq & Indian Sub-Continent, Fathi Al Shehab hosted a gathering of distinguished guests and local media at Salalah Airport ahead of the airline’s first departure flight to Doha.

Chief Guest at the event representing the government of Oman was the deputy governor of Dhofar, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Saif Al Mahrooqi.

Addressing guests, Al Shehab said it was a great honour for Qatar Airways to be so warmly welcomed to Salalah and thanked the government for its continued support for the airline.

“The inauguration of this key route opens the way for an expansion of tourism to Dhofar and southern Oman that will bring more travellers from all over the world to experience the beauty of this spectacular region and indeed make business easier in this commercial hub of Southern Arabia,” said Al Shehab.

Qatar Airways Country Manager Oman and Yemen, Ali Abdul Khaliq Ibrahim added: “Qatar Airways has progressively developed its operations and business here in Oman and by working closely with our travel trade and corporate partners and of course our loyal customer base, we look forward to making our newest route a resounding success. Qatar Airways’ launch of flights to Salalah is good news for the travelling public from Oman who now have greater choice and more flying options.”

General Manager of Salalah Airport, Salem Awad Al Yafaey joined Al Shehab in celebrating the airline’s arrival to the Omani city.

“We are very pleased to welcome Qatar Airways to Salalah Airport,” he said, adding: “Qatar Airways has proven itself consistently as one of the world’s most forward thinking airlines, and is a wonderful partner for us in the development of tourism and commerce in southern Oman. And it is a delight to have the world’s best airline flying to our wonderful city. Our province has so much to offer, from the beauty of the countryside to one of the region’s busiest ports.

Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 124 aircraft to 127 key destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas, including Chicago, the airline’s newest point introduced on April 10.

Notes to Editors

Qatar Airways currently has orders worth over US$50 billion for more than 250 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 777s, Airbus A350s, A380s and A320 Family of aircraft. In addition to winning Skytrax’s prestigious Airline of the Year 2011 and 2012, Qatar Airways was named Best Airline in the Middle East for the seventh year in a row, and its Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport was named Best Premium Service Airport for the third consecutive year in 2012. Skytrax is the only global independent passenger survey monitoring airline standards and is considered the ultimate benchmark for excellence in the airline industry. In October 2012, Qatar Airways became the first of the major Gulf carriers to officially join a global alliance having been invited into the oneworld group. For more information, visit www.qatarairways.com

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